Taco Dip

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 (8 ounce) package sour cream

1 (1.25ounce) packet taco seasoning

1/4 cup salsa

3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese

In medium mixing bowl, whip the cream cheese with an electric mixer. 

Add sour cream and taco seasoning. Mix well.  

Spread in serving dish. Spoon salsa over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle cheddar cheese over top. Serve with tortilla chips.

 This recipe is a crowd pleaser! It is super easy to make and there are never any leftovers.

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek! 

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Slow Cooker Salsa

8 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup finely diced onion
2 to 4 jalapeños, seeds and veins removed, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons taco seasoning mix

Place tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and garlic in slow Cooker.  Mix well.  

Cover with the lid.  Cook on low 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  

Add taco seasoning.  Salt to taste.  Mix well. Cool slightly.  

In batches, add salsa to blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth.
Cool completely before serving.  Serve with tortilla chips.

I know what you are thinking, "Taco seasoning in a salsa recipe.  Is she crazy?"  If you ask anyone, but my sister Shelley, they would say no.  Most of the time my sister would agree, I am not crazy.

There are a lot of people who are afraid of using spices, so they shy away from recipes that use several different types.  By using the taco seasoning, you get a great mix of the Mexican flavors you love in salsa, without being intimidated.

My husband prefers cooked, blended salsas to chunky salsa.  This recipe is one of his favorites.  I hope you like it too! 

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Tuesday,
for my Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek! 

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes

I love leftovers!   Aside from the fact that part of the work is done,  you can recreate them and make a whole new dish.  Below are two of my favorite ways to use up that Thanksgiving turkey.

Cranberry Turkey Casserole

Cranberry Turkey or Chicken Casserole

4 cups cooked  bow-tie pasta
2 cups cooked diced turkey or chicken
2 (15 ounce) jars Alfredo sauce
1 cup dried cranberries, plus extra for garnish
2/3 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, plus extra for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a baking dish, combine all ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.  Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with dried cranberries and pine nuts or slivered almonds.

Layered Turkey Enchiladas

Layered Turkey Enchiladas

1 pound cooked turkey or chicken, shredded
2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can Cream of Chicken Soup
6 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In medium bowl, combine turkey, green chiles, and Cream of Chicken Soup.  Mix well.  In lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish, spread 1/2 cup of turkey mixture.  Arrange 3 tortillas over top.  Spread 1/2 of remaining turkey mixture over tortillas.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over top.  Arrange 3 tortillas over cheese.  Spread remaining turkey mixture over tortillas.  Sprinkle 1 cup cheese over top.  Bake 45 minutes or until cheese starts to brown.  Makes 6 servings.

Note:  If you like your enchiladas to be spicy, swap out one or both of the cans of green chile for diced Jalapeno peppers.

Wishing you and your family a 

Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!  

My new cookbook is available at schools, businesses, hospitals, and book fairs in cities across the United States.  Be sure to pick up a copy or two, when you see them.  They make great gifts!

Check back on Friday,
for my Pumpkin Cornbread! 

Follow me on my Facebook page!

Visit my friends blogs!

 GINGERLOCKS' KITCHEN, has become one of your favorite blogs! Stop by Jordan's blog and take a peek!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

New Mexico Breakfast Strata

New Mexico Breakfast Strata

1 pound bacon
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
1 (16 ounce) loaf French bread, cubed
1 (16 ounce) package shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chile
2 cups milk
12 eggs

Cook and crumble bacon and sausage in separate skillets.  Drain grease.

Coat a 13x9 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Arrange sausage in the bottom of baking pan.  Spread half of the bread cubes over sausage.

Arrange the bacon over bread.

Sprinkle cheese over bacon.  Spread green chile over cheese.  Arrange remaining  bread cubes over top.

In a large bowl, combine milk and eggs.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well.

Pour egg mixture evenly over top.

Push bread down into pan.

Cover with aluminum foil.  Place in the refrigerator overnight.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake 30 minutes.

Remove foil.  Bake an additional 30 minutes.

If you like breakfast burritos, then you are going to love this recipe.  It has all of those delicious southwestern flavors, wrapped up in one dish, that you can prepare the night before.

 

This recipe is on the mild side.  The green chiles that are in it, add pepper flavor, but not the pepper heat.  If you walk on the wild side, it is easy to spice this recipe up.  We like to top the strata with salsa.  You could also serve it with slice jalapenos to give it an extra kick, or even swap out the green chile for your favorite chile pepper.

Stop back by on Tuesday, for my

Tuesday's Tips & Tricks post.

Enter my Giveaway for your chance to win the

Joy Bauer's Food Cures Book!

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  She also has a great Giveaway on her blog! Stop by and check it out.  You'll be happy you did!

Prize Winning Mexican Casserole Recipes

Southwestern Chili Cheese Dog Casserole

4 cups chili, divided
8 hot dogs
8 fajita size flour tortillas
16 tablespoons Monterrey jack queso dip, divided
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheddar Mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread 2 cups chili on the bottom of 11x7 or 13x9 baking pan.  Spread 2 tablespoons queso dip on each tortilla.  Place a hot dog on each tortilla, roll up like an enchilada.  Place tortillas seam down in baking pan.  Spread 2 cups chili over tortillas.  Sprinkle pepper jack cheese over top.  Cover will foil.  Bake 20 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

 Nacho Chicken Mac & Cheese

1 (12 ounce) box mac and cheese
1 1/4 cups salsa, divided
1 (10 ounce) package frozen cooked fajita chicken strips
1 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese
2 cups slightly crushed nacho cheese tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare mac and cheese according to package directions.  Spray a 9x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. In baking dish, combine prepared mac and cheese and 3/4 cup salsa.  Mix well.  Microwave chicken strips for 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through.  Arrange on top of mac and cheese mixture.  Spread 1/2 cup salsa over chicken.  Sprinkle 1 cup shredded cheese over salsa.  Top with crushed tortilla chips.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese on top.  Bake 20 minutes.

One of the highlights of being at the Iowa State Fair was judging cooking competitions!    I judged sugar cookies, desserts, scones, casseroles, and bread contests.  There are fabulous cooks in Iowa and it is very hard to pick a winner.

 

I am really glad you don't know who makes the dishes you are testing.  As it turned out, many of my friends won or place in the contests I judged.  My friend Darrellyn, won second place in the, "Quick and Easy 5 Ingredient Casserole Contest", with the above, Southwestern Chili Cheese Dog Casserole recipe.

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!

Banana Chimichangas

Banana Chimichangas


3 bananas, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 (6 inch) flour tortillas
vegetable oil for frying

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute bananas and brown sugar in butter until sugar is dissolved.  Reduce heat; stir in vanilla and cook for 1 minute.

 Divide banana mixture between the tortillas. 

 Fold ends over mixture and roll closed.  

In a large skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil over high heat.  

Place chimichangas seam down in skillet.

 Fry tortillas until golden brown. 

 Drain on paper towel.  

Serve warm.  Makes 3 whole servings or 6 half servings.

 This recipe is from the first cookbook I wrote called, MILD TO WILD MEXICAN COOKBOOK.

It is also the first recipe I cooked in front of a live audience.  It was at a woman's conference in Oklahoma.  I was really nervous before it was my time to go on stage.  They had lots of experienced people doing cooking demos, and I was the only new one.

The stage was beautiful, with top of the line appliances.  The crowd filled all available seats and people were standing at the back.  I walked out onto the stage, trying to act like I did this all the time.  It started off really well; they seemed to like the stories I was telling and they were intrigued by the recipe.

The bananas, brown sugar, and butter were cooking away and it was time for me to add the vanilla.  I gave the banana mixture a good stir, then left the spoon in the pan and reached for the vanilla.  The spoon had a heavy handle and as I lifted my hand from it, it flipped out of the pan and landed on the floor.  The audience let out a loud gasp.  I looked at them and wondered how I was going to recover from this mistake.  I laughed and told them a story about my mom putting me in dance class hoping it would make me less klutzy.

A lady and her daughter laughed really hard when I told that story.  It was a funny story, but not that funny.  After the demo was over, the mom came up to me and explained that her daughter was in dance class and wanted to quit.  She wouldn't let her because she was hoping it would make her graceful.  The mom said she would now let her daughter quit, because it obviously didn't work for me.  Her daughter thanked me several times.

Enter my Double Giveaway! 

Follow my blog and or Facebook for your chance to win!

Visit my friends blogs!

You will love Bo and his blog,  Bo's Bowl.  Not only does he host great giveaways,  his recipes are incredible!  One visit to his blog and you will see why I faithfully 
follow it.

Also visit my friend Pam's blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner,  for more great recipes!  Once you read her blog, she will be your friend too!